Thumb-guard



June 15, 1937.

M. c. BLENDINGER THUMB GUARD Filed April 4, 1935 @Mbzw Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED srsras TENT orr cs THUMB-GUARD Mabel C. Blendinger, Milwaukee, Wis. Application April 4, 1935, Serial No. 14,654

1 Claim.

This invention pertains to infants handguards, and has primarily for its object to provide an exceedingly effective, sanitary, and attractive guard at minimum cost, for completely encasing the hand of an infant to prevent it from sucking its hand or fingers.

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object resides in the provision of a guard, in which the front and rear walls are formed from identical blanks of open mesh fabric, secured along their marginal edges by a line of stitching passing through the opposite edges of a fabric binding strip folded over the outer faces of the blanks, and having a draw-tape looped at one end for receiving a pair of non-metallic gripping rings, and secured to the guard at the wrist portion by the stitching securing the binding strip to the blanks and also forming said loop.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is an elevation of a glove constructed in accordance with the preferred form of the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l, the draw-tape being removed from the rings.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral l designates generally a hand-guard comprising front and rear walls 2 and 3, respectively, which are preferably formed from open mesh cotton fabric, the blanks being of similar contour and generally shaped to fit the hand of an infant without exposing the thumb, as in a conventional mitten.

The blanks forming the front and rear walls 2 and 3 are secured together along their marginal top and side edges by a cloth binding strip 4, which is folded over upon the outer faces of the blanks, and secured thereto by a line of stitching 5, passing through the opposite edges of the binding strip, and the blanks 2 and 3. Thus it will be seen that there are no raw edges exposed on the interior of the guard to come in contact with the hand of the infant, and cause possible chafing of the skin.

The lower edges of the walls 2 and 3 are not secured together, but are finished with a folded cloth binding strip 6, which protects the arm of the wearer against the otherwise rough edges of the fabric, and also provides an opening for insertion of the hand into the guard.

Inasmuch as it is highly desirable to avoid the use of metal clasps or fastening means, for securing the guard on the hand of an infant, the present invention utilizes a draw-tape I, provided at one end with a loop 8 for reception of a pair of non-metallic rings 9, which frictionally grip the opposite end of the draw-string I when the same is threaded through the rings, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. Obviously, this form of fastener eliminates the necessity for metal clamps and buckles, which usually present sharp corners or prongs that may injure the wearer, and also have a tendency to rust when the guard is washed.

Furthermore, the present form of fastening is inexpensive, and also enables the draw-tape to be easily pulled up on the wrist to prevent detachment of the guard by the infant, without undue binding of the wrist, which would interfere with the proper circulation. Likewise, the drawstring can be quickly released by simply spreading the rings 9.

A further advantage of the form of fastener employed resides in the elimination of knots, which are both troublesome to form and untie. aside from the possibility of the infant releasing the same.

From the foregoing explanation, considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that an inexpensive, sanitary, and attractive guard has been provided for encasing the entire hand and fingers of an infant, to effectively prevent it from sucking not only the fingers, but any portion of the hand, which some infants have a tendency to do when the fingers are not available.

The use of an open mesh fabric is not only highly sanitary, in that thorough cleansing of the guard is facilitated without necessitating turning of the same, such as would be necessary in a guard formed from tightly woven fabric. In addition to the foregoing, the open mesh allows free ventilation, and thus eliminates perspiration and subsequent chafing of the tender skin of an infant.

The advantages of the novel form of fastener have been set forth, and in addition thereto it will be noted that the draw-tape is secured to the wrist portion of the guard a substantial distance from the lower end, thus covering a portion of the arm of the wearer, and preventing the draw-tape from possible direct contact with the arm of the infant.

In the event that it may be desired to elaborate upon the present structure, the same can be accomplished without departing from the invention.

However, in the preferred form, the blanks 2 and i 3 are preferably of identical shape, which in the manufacture requires only one die for cutting, and also simplifies subsequent sewing operation.

I claim: As a new article of manufacture, an infant's thumb-guard comprising front and rear walls formed from identical blanks of open mesh fabric having parallel sides, straight lower edges, and rounded upper edges, a cloth binding strip folded over the marginal top and side edges of the front and rear blanks and having its edges secured together by a line of stitching passing through both of said blanks, a draw-tape of substantial width to avoid cutting and looped at one end, a pair of non-metallic rings held in said loop for frictionally gripping the opposite end of the drawtape, said loop and draw-tape being secured to the guard at the wrist portion of the same by the line of stitching which attaches the binding strip to one side of the blanks and which also secures said loop, and a binding tape folded over and stitched to the lower edge of the front and rear blanks to provide a hand opening.

MABEL C. BLENDINGER. 

